West Bengal: CEC under fire as TMC alleges ‘blood on his hands’ over SIR deaths

TMC MPs Derek O’Brien (in white), Mahua Moitra (in green), and other party leaders address the media after a meeting with the full bench of the Election Commission, outside Nirvachan Sadan, in New Delhi. Pic/PTI

A TMC delegation met the full bench of the Election Commission of India here and alleged that at least 40 SIR-related deaths had taken place in West Bengal, accusing the poll panel chief of having "blood on his hands".

The 10-member delegation, led by TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien, met the EC officials amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Speaking to reporters, O'Brien said the party raised five questions, but CEC Gyanesh Kumar did not give any answers.

"We started the meeting by stating that the CEC has blood on his hands. We raised five questions. Then CEC spoke uninterrupted for anhour but we did not receive any answers to our questions," O'Brien said.

Fourth BLO death deepens West Bengal political storm

A booth-level officer (BLO) engaged in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls died of cardiac arrest in Murshidabad district, with his family alleging that mounting work pressure pushed him to the brink. This is the fourth such death reported in the state since the exercise began on November 4, sparking a political blame game. Officials identified the deceased as Zakir Hossain, a teacher at a state-run primary school who had been deployed as a BLO.

Akhilesh calls SIR exercise a giant conspiracy

SP president Akhilesh Yadav has made a fresh attack on the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying it was a "big conspiracy" against the people of the country that could push citizens into a state "worse than the colonial era." Posting a 20-second video on the SIR process on his official X handle on Thursday evening, Yadav appealed to all opposition parties, including allies of the ruling NDA, to "unite and expose this mega-conspiracy of the BJP."

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